After two postponements, the highly anticipated Mashemeji Derby is finally set to take place. The first leg of the match between AFC Leopards and Gor Mahia will be held on Sunday, March 30, at Nyayo Stadium.
A letter from the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) on Friday, March 21, confirmed that Sports Kenya has granted both teams access to the newly renovated stadium.
Earlier attempts to host the game at Nyayo this season had failed, causing the biggest club match in the country to be rescheduled multiple times. In November 2023, Nyayo was deemed “not ready” to host the fixture, despite a formal request from the home side, AFC Leopards. However, it is now official that this highly coveted match will finally be played at the venue.
The decision came as a surprise, especially since just days earlier, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) had approved Nyayo Stadium to host a 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifier between Kenya’s Harambee Stars and Gabon on Sunday, March 23.
Nyayo Stadium is also among the venues expected to host the upcoming African Nations Championships (CHAN) in August, alongside Kasarani Stadium.
After weeks of uncertainty, fans can now look forward to the derby, which will be the third consecutive weekend match at the Nairobi facility following the U17 Women’s World Cup Qualifiers against Uganda and the Harambee Stars World Cup Qualifiers against Gabon.
Currently, Gor Mahia has the chance to move to the top of the table with a victory over their fierce rivals, while AFC Leopards, seeking their first derby win since May 2023, can improve their standing to fourth place.
